Welcome to the George Mason Jazz Festival, 2026! We are excited that you are here and wish you a wonderful day of performing and educational clinics. Special thanks to John Kocur for his excellent coordination of this festival. Thank you to Dean Rick Davis and the Director of the Dewberry School of Music, Dr. Linda Apple-Monson for their support. Thank you, band directors, for your dedication to Jazz education and for bringing your students to our festival. Thank you to our special guests, the USAF Airmen of Note, for your participation and incredible artistry. Finally, thank you students for your dedication to this truly American art-form, JAZZ!
- Dr. Darden Purcell, Director of Jazz Studies
Today, we come together in the spirit of jazz. You will hear music from middle school, high school, and college students in addition to dedicated community members and professional musicians at the highest level in the field. I specifically would like to thank Prof. Ben Thomas, our applied jazz bass instructor at the Dewberry School of Music. Besides serving as a clinician throughout the day, he has coordinated many logistics for the Airmen of Note and will perform in the concert with them tonight. In addition to everyone Dr. Purcell mentioned, thank you to University Life for their generous support for this event. Lastly, I encourage you to scroll to the bottom of this digital program to find out more about Mason Jazz Studies and our 2026 Mason Jazz Camp. Thank you for attending today. We hope you have a great experience on our campus.
- John Kocur, Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The George Mason Jazz Festival is an invitational event open to middle school, high school, collegiate and community jazz ensembles. The festival is sponsored by George Mason Jazz Studies and the Dewberry Family School of Music at George Mason University. Throughout the day, thirteen bands will perform at the Harris Theatre. School and community groups will perform a 20–25-minute set, followed by a clinic with Mason Jazz faculty in the de Laski Performing Arts Building (PAB). The evening will conclude with featured performances by the George Mason Jazz Ensemble, directed by Professor Jim Carroll, and the USAF Airmen of Note, directed by CMSgt Brian McDonald.
All events are free and open to the public. Audience members are welcome to enter and leave the theater as needed between selections. Food is available for purchase at the Johnson Center just across from the Harris Theatre.
Adjudicators
• Jim Carroll – Founder, Jazz Studies, George Mason University
• Stephen Philip Harvey - Saxophonist, Composer, Educator, Salisbury University
• Taylor Barnett – Trumpeter, Composer, Educator, Virginia Commonwealth University
Clinicians – Mason Jazz Faculty
• Graham Breedlove
• Aaron Eckert
• Dr. Kevin McDonald
• Dr. Shawn Purcell
• Ben Thomas
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL (cont.)
Student Ambassadors
• Amanda Araujo
• Clay Cottis
• Jeremy Fagen
• Adam Lenahan
• Ponenya Min
• David O’Malley
Festival Photographer
• Christian Mayo
Additional Acknowledgements
Thank you to the following offices and people for their support:
• Harris Theatre backstage staff
• Center for the Arts audio staff
• College of Visual and Performing Arts staff
• Dewberry Family School of Music administrative staff
• University Life Grants office
Meet the Adjudicators
Jim Carroll has a versatile background ranging from tours with Michael Jackson to Woody Herman and The Thundering Herd. Jim received both his Undergraduate and Graduate training from Indiana University under the tutelage of David Baker and Eugene Rousseau. His travels have taken him to major venues in each of the Fifty States, Europe, and the Far East. He has performed at the Aurex, Nice, Bern, Concord, Montreux, Kool, Monterey, Newport, North Sea, Perugia, and Pori jazz festivals. Active as an educator, he has taught at Butler University, Capital University, and the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops.
He has authored several volumes through Hal Leonard’s “Artists Transcriptions” series, including a collaboration with jazz legend Sonny Rollins. His arrangement and performance of “The Ballgame” can be heard at main entrance of Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Mr. Carroll was a charter member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, in residence at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. He performed, recorded, and toured with the group until 1999 when he assumed the position as Director of Jazz Studies at George Mason University.
Mr. Carroll is the founder and artistic director of the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz Connection. He is passionate about spreading the word of the power of the arts to bring people together, change lives and do good in the world. Jim resides in Manassas, Virginia with his wife, Janette.
Taylor Barnett is a trumpeter, composer, and educator based in Richmond, Virginia. He is an Assistant Professor of Music at Virginia Commonwealth University and is a member of No BS! Brass, as well as the leader of his own jazz groups. Barnett earned a B.M. in Jazz studies and an M.M. in Trumpet performance at Virginia Commonwealth University, as well as a D.M.A. in Performance, Pedagogy, and Literature at James Madison University.
Dr. Barnett has performed as a trumpet soloist at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Toronto Jazz Festival, and on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert as well as with artists such as Bon Iver, Woody Herman Orchestra, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, and Frankie Avalon.
As a composer/arranger, Barnett’s work is published by UNC Jazz Press and his large-ensemble arrangements have been performed at international music festivals in Australia, Portugal, China, and across the United States.
Barnett is a frequent adjudicator/clinician and guest director for middle-school and high-school jazz band festivals and assessments across Virginia.
Dr. Barnett is also an integral part of Code Beats, a National Science Foundation-funded interdisciplinary research project at VCU, led by Dr. David C. Shepherd, VCU Computer Science. Code Beats works to broaden youth participation in computing by teaching students to create authentic-sounding hip-hop beats using fundamental computer programming concepts. taylorbarnett.com
Stephen Philip Harvey is an awardwinning saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator, and radio producer whose work bridges jazz traditions with the pulse of contemporary Black American music. A dynamic bandleader and recording artist, he leads multiple genre-spanning ensembles and serves as Music Director for Delmarva Public Media, shaping musical programming and creative initiatives across its three public radio stations.
Harvey leads a range of forwardthinking ensembles including his electric quintet Sphinx, chordless trio SPH+2, mid-sized contemporary ensemble the Stephen Philip Harvey Octet (SPH8), and his critically acclaimed large ensemble, the Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra (SPHJO). His growing discography reflects an inventive artistic voice rooted in improvisation, groove, and narrative-forward composition. His compositions have been performed by ensembles across the U.S. and abroad. In 2021, he collaborated with NEA Jazz Master Roscoe Mitchell on Conversation for Orchestra, performed by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and SEM Ensemble.
As an educator, Harvey teaches at Salisbury University and Youngstown State University and regularly appears as a guest artist, clinician, and composer-in-residence across the country. His educational work spans K–12 and collegiate classrooms, national conferences, and communityfocused outreach programs.
He holds an M.M. in Jazz Studies from Youngstown State University and a B.M. in Music Education from Seton Hill University. stephenpharvey.com
Meet the Clinicians
Since taking up the trumpet at age twelve in his hometown of Lafayette, LA, Graham Breedlove has performed on four continents in more than twenty countries, with headliners representing more than one hundred Grammy nominations. Among these are: The Saturday Night Live Band, Ray Charles, Wynton Marsalis, Ramsey Lewis, Mariah Carey, and Doc Severinsen. As a leader, Breedlove is a Summit Records recording artist. The Graham Breedlove Quintet appears regularly at the Kennedy Center and was invited by the Obama administration to perform at the White House. Graham is listed in the book Trumpet Greats, which is “a biographical dictionary of famous trumpeters since the Baroque Era” by noted educator/author/trumpeter David Hickman. As a sideman, Breedlove has appeared on more than 200 recordings, including backto-back Grammy winners in 2004 and 2005.
For nearly thirty years Professor Breedlove was a trumpet soloist with the Army Blues jazz ensemble, part of The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" in Washington, DC, and he appeared as a soloist, composer/arranger or lead player on seven recordings with the Army Blues. He also served as musical director, soloist, and composer, arranger on “Voodoo Boogaloo” and “Back to the Bayou”, critically acclaimed recordings by Swamp Romp, a Louisiana music group comprised of members of the Army Blues. In an effort to promote jazz, Breedlove has presented clinics, masterclasses, and has appeared as a guest soloist at colleges and universities across the country, and he has served on the faculties of Towson University, Catholic University of America, and the National Jazz Workshop. Graham also appears on the Hal Leonard Jazz Play Along Series, an educational book/CD series with over 150 volumes currently available in music stores around the world. grahambreedlove.com
Aaron Eckert, originally from Belleville, IL, is a trombonist with the U.S. Army Blues, the premier jazz ensemble of the Army. He has performed with artists such as Jon Faddis, Jeff Hamilton, Chuck Israels, Conrad Herwig, and Scott Wendholt, among others. With the Army Blues, Aaron has performed across the capital region, including the White House, Capitol Building, and Kennedy Center. In addition to the Blues, Aaron performs regularly in the D.C. area in a wide variety of musical settings. Before moving to D.C., Eckert served as the Low Brass Instructor at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, OR. While in Oregon, he played regularly with the Mel Brown Big Band, the Hapa Hillbillies, the Chuck Israels Octet, the Eastern Oregon Symphony, and was on the jazz faculty at the Eastern Illinois University Summer Music Camp.
Aaron completed his master’s degree with a Performer’s Certificate at the Eastman School of Music, with degrees in Jazz and Contemporary Media Performance (trombone) and Performance and Literature (euphonium). While at Eastman, Eckert was awarded 1st prize in the Rich Matteson Jazz Euphonium Competition, as well as 2nd prize (as a member of the Carillon Tuba Quartet) in the ensemble competition at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference. Also, Eckert was selected as a finalist for the International Trombone Association J.J. Johnson Competition and placed 2nd in the Texas State Jazz Trombone Competition. Eckert had the privilege of studying both trombone and euphonium with Mark Kellogg.
Eckert holds bachelor's degrees in music education and jazz studies from Eastern Illinois University. During his undergraduate studies, Eckert was recognized as the Outstanding Music Student of the Year from 2012-2014, the Outstanding Performer of the Year in 2013 & 2014 and was a finalist for student teacher of the year in 2014. During his five years at Eastern Illinois, Aaron studied with Paul Johnston and Jemmie Robertson.
Kevin C. McDonald, Ph.D. is a passionate musicologist and an acclaimed jazz drummer. His performance credits include Dave Liebman, Mark Turner, Paquito D’Rivera, Miguel Zenon, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, and Lee Konitz in international venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The White House, The U.S. Library of Congress, The Midwest Clinic, the Jazz Education Network, and Bimhuis. He serves as Adjunct Professor of Applied Jazz Percussion at George Mason University and as drummer for the U.S. Navy Band Commodores, the Navy’s premier jazz ensemble.
Professor McDonald is a proud endorsing artist for Yamaha drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, and Remo drumheads. He holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the Catholic University of America and has been invited to present excerpts from his dissertation, “Hearing the American Civil Rights Movement in the Music of Max Roach,” at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the American Musicological Society (AMS). He was selected to perform in Carnegie Hall’s 2011 Professional Training Workshops directed by Brad Mehldau and has given masterclasses at Columbia University Teachers College, Georgetown University, and Manhattan School of Music.
Recipient of the William H. Borden Award, Clement Meadmore Scholarship, Manhattan School of Music Scholarship, and Center for Music Entrepreneurship Fellowship, he holds a Master of Music in Jazz Arts from Manhattan School of Music, where he studied in the studio of John Riley. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies/Contemporary Media and a Certificate in World Music/Ethnomusicology from the Eastman School of Music, where he was the recipient of the Howard Hanson Scholarship. Professor McDonald originally hails from Greensboro, North Carolina. kevinmcdonaldmusic.com
Shawn Purcell is a jazz guitarist, educator, arranger, and composer. Purcell has shared the stage, recorded with, and/or toured with Pat Bianchi, Terell Stafford, Tim Warfield, Sean Jones, Regina Carter, The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Eddie Daniels, Chris Potter, National Symphony Orchestra, and many others. He has performed at jazz clubs and festivals nationally and internationally including Blues Alley, Smalls, The Jazz Kitchen, The Blue Wisp, Club Bonafide, JazzB (Sao Paulo), DC Jazz Fest, JEN, PASIC, IAJE, Savannah Jazz Fest and Indy Jazz Fest.
Purcell can be heard on nearly 40 recordings with artists including Chip McNeill, Steve Fidyk, Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra, Darden Purcell, The Capitol Bones, Ben Patterson, Mike Tomaro, and Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra. Symmetricity, Purcell’s first recording as a leader, was released in 2019 on Armored Records. 180, his second release and debut on Origin Records, followed in 2022. His third release, Oblivity, was released in 2025 on Origin Records. Purcell spent over 20 years as a member of the military big bands in Washington DC. From 1996-2004, Purcell was the guitarist in the US Air Force jazz ensemble, The Airmen of Note. During this time, Purcell performed throughout the world including England, Germany, Turkey, Luxembourg, The Azores, Belgium, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Kuwait, and Bahrain. He is the former guitarist with the US Navy Band “Commodores” jazz ensemble.
As an educator, Purcell serves as an adjunct professor of jazz guitar and jazz arranging at George Mason University. He has served on the faculty at Towson University, Middle Tennessee State University, and was a Visiting Lecturer in Jazz Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. Purcell has also penned educational articles for Premier Guitar and DownBeat Magazine. Purcell earned a BM in Recording Arts & Sciences from Duquesne University, an MA in Music from Middle Tennessee State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. shawnpurcell.com
Jazz bassist Ben Thomas hails from Connecticut and currently resides in Washington D.C. He has performed with Melissa Aldana, Ted Nash, Sean Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, Tony Malaby, Till Brönner, Ari Honeig, The New York Ballet, and Ryan Truesdell in notable venues including The Kennedy Center, The White House, The Midwest Clinic, The Jazz Education Network, Umbria Jazz Festival, Smalls, and Birdland. He is the Adjunct Professor of Jazz Bass at George Mason University as well as the bassist of the prestigious Airmen of Note, the premier jazz big band of the U.S. Air Force.
Prior to living in Washington D.C., Thomas freelanced in New York City before spending six years in the USAF regional bands, four of which were stationed at Ramstein Airbase, Germany. While in there, Thomas toured 23 countries throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, was music director of the jazz band, and taught bass at the University of Mannheim. Thomas is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in jazz bass performance. He studied with Jeff Campbell, James VanDemark, Bill Dobbins, Clay Jenkins, Ralph Alessi, and Drew Gress. In 2012 he released his record of live original chordless trio music entitled Endless Mountain Region. Professor Thomas enjoys performing on his 1862 Bohemian bass.
Festival Schedule
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE IN HARRIS THEATRE
Thomas Edison H.S. 10:00am
J. Lupton Simpson Middle School 10:30am
Washington Latin Public Charter School 11:00am
DC Starlight Orchestra 11:30am
Yorktown H.S. 12:00noon
LUNCH BREAK 12:30pm
Bobby Jasinski’s Hot Lanes 1:30pm
Alexandria City H.S. Jazz Band “B” 2:30pm
Colgan H.S. 3:00pm
Courtland H.S. 3:30pm
Alexandria City H.S. Jazz Band “A” 4:00pm
Warhill H.S. 4:30pm
Chancellor H.S. 5:00pm
Community College 5:30pm
Thomas Edison High School Jazz Ensemble
Sherwin Zahirieh, director
Blues in Hoss' Flat
William “Count” Basie and Frank Foster arr. Mark Taylor
Avery Anderson, guitar
Aleyna Baybas, tenor saxophone
Lydia Zeleke, piano
Alex Lammers, trumpet
Children of Sanchez Chuck Mangione arr. Dave Wolpe
Alex Lammers, trumpet
I Concentrate on You
Aleyna Baybas, tenor saxophone
The Chicken
Avery Anderson, guitar
Alex Lammers, trumpet
Cole Porter arr. Mark Taylor
Alfred Ellis arr. Kris Berg
J. Lupton Simpson Middle School
Matthew Pazanowski, director
St. Thomas Sonny Rollins arr. Michael Sweeney
Max Lowry, bass guitar
Summertime
George Gershwin/Dubose Heyward arr. Michael Sweeney
Robert Lemus, tenor saxophone
Edicson Vigil, trumpet
Over the Rainbow Harold Arlen arr. Paul Cook
Cameron Kaiser, trombone
Robert Lemus, tenor saxophone
Caravan Duke Ellington/Juan Tizol arr. Michael Sweeney
Robert Lemus, tenor saxophone
Wesley Bokel, mellophone
Washington Latin Public Charter School Second Street Big Band
C. J. Melendez , director
All Blues Miles Davis arr. Michael Sweeney
Zane Wood, trumpet
Simon Baldwin, alto saxophone
Maisie Sommer, guitar
Milo Harris, trombone
Justine Thomas, tenor saxophone
Noa Smudde, piano
The Nearness of You Hoagy Carmichael arr. Rick Stitzel
Thalia Ehrenpreis, voice
Sway Pablo Beltran Luiz arr. Mark Taylor
Selah Brown, voice
DC Starlight Orchestra
Carey Johnston, co-director
Tom Wall, co-director
Blue Skies Irving Berlin arr. Roger Holmes
Little Brown Jug Bill Finegan
Opus One Sy Oliver transcribed by Myles Collins
I Won’t Dance Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields arr. Neal Hefti
Tail-End Charlie Bill Finnegan transcribed by Tom Pfrogner
Summertime
George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward arr. Brad Morey
Yorktown High School
Joseph Witkowski, director
Splanky Neal Hefti arr. Sammy Nestico
Katie Broadbent, piano
Luka Tkabladze, tenor sax
Jack Beresik, trombone
Sid Ghosh, alto sax
Silas Frickert, guitar
Moon River Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer arr. Billy Byers
Ben Niehaus, trumpet
Arnge Drank Paul Baker
Nick Tarquine, trombone
Liem Nguyen, trumpet
Silas Frickert, guitar
Intermission
Yes or No
The Hot Lanes Big Band
Bobby Jasinski, director
Lockdown
Naima
Quiet Now
Green Chimneys
Stardust
Thank You
Wayne Shorter
arr. Bobby Jasinski
Bobby Jasinski
John Coltrane
arr. Paul Hamilton
Denny Zeitlin
arr. J. Vedda
Thelonious Monk
arr. Bobby Jasinski
Hoagy Carmichael
arr. Bobby Jasinski
Sly Stone
arr. Bobby Jasinski
The Hot Lanes Big Band
Personnel
Saxophones
Steve Lovecchio
Howard McCullers
Tom Anderson
Dan Hurlow
Jim Vedda
Trombones
Rob Skanse
Paul Hamilton
Kalrissian Cooper
Jeff Bonk
Trumpets
Pat Mullen
John Ehlers
Christian Hinkle
Dan Bocknek
Rhythm Section
Bobby Jasinki, piano, arranger, director
Zack Williams, bass
Clay Cottis, drums
Alexandria City High School “B”
Doug Rogers, director
Burritos to Go
Victor Lopez
Summertime
George Gershwin/DuBose Heyward arr. Calvin Custer
Jumpin' at the Woodside
William “Count” Basie arr. Paul Cook
Colgan High School Jazz Band
Tim Grant, director
Fat Cat Doug Beach
Aiden McBride, trumpet
Victor Collins, piano
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
Duke Ellington/Irving Mills arr. Bill Cunliffe
Selena Generoso, alto saxophone
Carter Yeh, trombone
Giddyup!
Jared Marquez, guitar
Carter Yeh, trombone
Rick Hirsch
Courtland High School Jazz Ensemble
Gene Mills, director
Coco Loco Dean Sorenson
‘Round Midnight Thelonius Monk/Cootie Williams arr. Mike Smukal
Fin Burkette, tenor saxophone
Mack the Knife Kurt Weill arr. Dave Wolpe
Ben Wade, voice
Fin Burkette, tenor saxophone
It Wasn’t You SFC Paul White
Emmerson Malone, alto saxophone
AJ Trotter, trombone
Aidan Witt, trumpet
Colton Poole, guitar
Alexandria City High School Jazz Band “A”
Doug Rogers, director
Program to be selected from the following:
Well, You Needn't Thelonius Monk arr. Neil Slater
Tyler Stone, trumpet
Isak Alper, tenor saxophone
Helen Keber, piano
Oblivion Astor Piazzolla arr. Bob Curnow
Tyler Stone, trumpet
Carismatica Michelle Fernández
Wyrgly Maria Schneider
Warhill High School
Tim Fary Jr., director
Boogie Lou Paul Baker
Andrew Dennis, alto saxophone
Gideon Stec, trombone
Rebekah Lowery, trumpet
Yardbird Suite
Body and Soul
Summer Chall, tenor saxophone
Charly Mata, alto saxophone
Ryan Kline, piano
Charly Mata, alto saxophone
Charlie Parker arr. Dave Wolpe
Johnny Green arr. Dave Wolpe
Cold Duck Time
Ryan Kline, piano
Marcus Demartine, drum set
Rory Raftery, baritone saxophone
Eddie Harris arr. Alan Baylock
Chancellor High School
Nanda Belby, director
It's Only a Paper Moon
Harold Arlen/Harburg & Rose arr. Michael Sweeney
My Funny Valentine Richard Rogers/Lorenz Hart arr. David Wolpe
Sophia Starkey, trumpet
Marvin Crenshaw II, alto saxophone
'Round Midnight
Thelonious Monk/Cootie Williams arr. Rick Hirsch
Aidan Hanks, piano
Sophia Starkey, trumpet
Madelyn Banner, mellophone
Nakia Taylor, tenor saxophone
Chameleon Herbie Hancock arr. Victor Lopez
Abby Cota, clarinet
Gunnar Comstock, baritone saxophone
Anthony Saravia, guitar
Crockett Webb, trombone
Northern Virginia Community College
Dr. Lisa Eckstein, director
Solar Miles Davis arr. Rick Stitzel
Joshua Porat, trumpet
Kyle Cobb, trombone
What a Wonderful World
Just in Time
El Abrazo
George David Weiss/Bob Thiele arr. Jerry Nowak
Jhesuea Argueta, voice
Isha Goel, voice
Jule Styne/Betty Comden/Adolph Green arr. Dave Wolpe
Scholarships to the George Mason Jazz Camp, summer 2026
Mason Jazz Ensemble
Jim Carroll, director
Whistle While You Work Frank Churchill arr. Dennis DiBlasio
Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars Antonio Carlos Jobim/Gene Lees arr. Vaughn Wiester
Swing House Gerry Mulligan
Personnel
Saxophones
Jeremy Fagen, alto
Jonathan Velez, alto
Art Martin, tenor
Trumpets
Steven Blake
Alexander Romanov
Jacob Mendoza
David Owens, tenor Amanda Araujo
Ivanna De León Casas, bari
Trombones
Chappy Hall
Rhythm Section
Adam Lenahan, voice
Jebb Saraum, piano
Anthony Rodriguez Ponenya Min, bass
Alex Pepin Clay Cottis, drums
Brandon Buford
Steve Bectel
Michael DeMarco, drums
David O’Malley, guitar
Phillip Todd, vibraphone
The Airmen of Note
CMSgt Brian McDonald, director
Blue ‘n Boogie Dizzy Gillespie arr. Slide Hampton
Con Alma Dizzy Gillespie arr. Gary Lindsay
Good Bait Tadd Dameron
I Remember Clifford Benny Golson
Jessica’s Day Quincy Jones
Lorraine Dizzy Gillespie arr. Mike Crotty
Night Flight Sammy Nestico
One Bass Hit Dizzy GIllespie arr. Luke Brandon
Our Delight Tadd Dameron
Pinocchio Wayne Shorter arr. Jacob Mann
Ray's Idea
Gil Fuller & Ray Brown Arr Gil Fuller
Sweet Georgia Brown. Ben Bernie/Maceo Pinkard/Kenneth Casey arr. Carmen Bradford
This Land is Your Land Woodie Guthrie arr Kevin Cerovich
Umbrella Man James Cavanaugh & Larry Stock arr. Wycliffe Gordon
Who’s Sorry Now Sammy Nestico
Saxophones
Airmen of Note Personnel
MSgt Kristian Baarsvik, alto saxophone
MSgt Mike Cemprola, alto saxophone
TSgt Matt Stookey, tenor saxophone
SMSgt Grant Langford, tenor saxophone
TSgt Seth Ebersole, baritone saxophone
Trumpet
Lead - CMSgt Brian MacDonald
TSgt Fareed Simpson-Hankins
SMSgt Luke Brandon
MSgt Logan Keese
Trombone
TSgt Matt Hettwer
TSgt Brendan Lanighan
MSgt Kevin Cerovich
SMSgt Ben Polk
Vocalist
TSgt Clara Campbell
Rhythm
SMSgt Geoff Reecer, guitar
MSgt Chris Ziemba, piano
MSgt Ben Thomas, bass
MSgt Daniel Dowling, drums
Audio Engineers
SMSgt James DeVaughn
MSgt Jim Woolf
The GEORGE MASON JAZZ CAMP, held on the George Mason University Fairfax Campus, is an inclusive, intensive program, for musicians (instrumental and vocal) of all levels (Under-18 and Adult Tracks), with a desire to advance their musical artistry and professionalism.
COMMUTER AND RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS!
With guest artist-in-residence, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist, composer and educator ROXY COSS!
ABOUT GEORGE MASON JAZZ STUDIES
The George Mason Jazz Studies Department combines performance, curriculum, and service to support House Resolution 57 which states jazz is “hereby designated as a rare and valuable national American treasure.”
The Jazz Studies program (instrumental and vocal) offers opportunities for improvisation, performance, recording, writing, leadership, and service. Our ensembles have performed at places such as:
• Umbria Jazz Festival (Perugia, Italy)
• Ancona Jazz Festival (Ancona, Italy)
• Shanghai Concert Hall (Beijing, China)
• Center for the Arts
• Hylton Performing Arts Center
• Virginia Music Educators Association Conference
• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
• Blues Alley
• Kansas City Jazz Summit
• Jazz Education Network Conferences
• American Choral Director’s Association Southern Region Conf.
• American Choral Director’s Association National Conference
• University of Trinidad and Tobago, and more.
Our students have won “Outstanding Ensemble” accolades, military band positions and DownBeat Student Music Awards.
A high point of students' time at George Mason University is Jazz4Justice™ , a truly unique event where attorneys, judges, students, and members of the Northern Virginia community gather to celebrate their love of jazz. Proceeds from the evening benefit Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV) to continue its mission of service to the Northern Virginia community as well as providing financial support for the Mason Jazz Studies department for scholarships, trips, recordings, and student projects.
Our students and community members have the benefit of attending master classes with world-class musicians throughout the year. Past artists include Maria Schneider, Christian McBride, Branford Marsalis, Jeff Hamilton, Paquito D’Rivera, Eric Alexander, Sean Jones, Peter Erskine, Doc Severinsen, Peter Bernstein, Byron Stripling, Bobby Floyd, Chip McNeill, Brian Skonberg, Cyrus Chestnut, Warren Wolf, Walt Weiskopf, Pat Bianchi and more.
Jazz Degrees at George Mason University
• Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies (instrumental and vocal)
• Master of Music in Jazz Studies (instrumental and vocal)
• Doctor of Musical Arts (Jazz Emphasis)
• Minor in Jazz Studies
• Performance Minor in Jazz Studies
Find out more about degree programs.
Jazz Ensembles
• Mason Jazz Ensemble
• Jazz Workshop
• Jazz Combos
• Steel Pan Ensemble
• Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Down Beat Award Winner)
• Latin American Ensemble (Down Beat Award Winner, 3 years)
• Braddock Road Brass Band
George Mason University School of Music
For more information and a complete listing of concerts and recitals, visit the web site at music.gmu.edu
George Mason University is a registered All-Steinway School
